At all costs
by Anna Katari
Summary: End of the world. Destruction. People are dying. Intubated Pepper. Rescue her. It was a typical day. Usual lesson and then It becomes a tragedy and in this situation. She might die. He wants to save her. He decides to sacrifice himself. Own life to save beloved. His heart had stopped beating. A lot of machines are trying to keep him alive ... At all costs.


End of the world

Destruction

People are dying

intubated Pepper

Rescue her

It was typical day

Usual lesson

and then

It becomes a tragedy

and in this situation

She might die

He wants to save her

he decides to sacrifice himself

Own life

to save beloved

His heart

had stopped beating

A lot of machines

are trying to

keep

him

alive

...

At all costs

Monday. Eight o'clock. Lesson physics. The class wrote a big test of the entire half of the year. Pepper tried to copy some answers from Tony, who just finished writing final results.

Tony: Pepper, think alone

Pepper: But I do not know how ...

Tony: Physics is not everything. Try to shoot something. Even write two sentences and they will give you points

Pepper: Thanks, that you believe in me

Tony: I just take care of you

He smiled and took a piece of paper to give it to a teacher. When he was about to get worksheet, the alarm sounded. The students had no idea what was happening. The sky turned cloudy changing to red, and the down began to fall meteorites.

Prof. Klein: Test completed! Already! Run away!

Everyone escaping as soon as possible. They were able to go outside of the building. For own eyes, they have seen that the weather also changed. It began to rain. Friends ran toward the armory.

Pepper: You knew this would happen?

Tony: No! This should not happen

Rhodey: Tony, have you done something?

Tony: Are you kidding me ?! It's not my fault! We must, as quickly as possible to hide. The safest will be in the factory

Pepper: So we have a problem

The streets were crowded, and frustrated drivers cursing one to another. The rain had stopped and began to form large clumps of hail, which can kill a human.

Tony: Pepper, move!

The girl got tired of running and she had to rest. Time was against them.

Rhodey: Get down!

He warned, shouting, and they did it. But they could not stop. For all of this wind became powerful that could generate a whirlwind.

Tony: We can not stop. It's getting worse

Pepper: Do you know a shortcut to the factory?

Tony: We can go through Stark International, but I do not know ...

Rhodey: Impossible. Blocked

When falling increasingly thicker layer of hail, they began to run, as much as they had strength in the legs.

Tony: Pepper, do not stop!

Pepper: Tony, watch out!

Tony: Pepper!

Rhodey: Pepper! No!

She protects Tony own body, so as not to hit him hail. She barely breathing.

Pepper: Tony...

And she fell. The boy picked her up and took her to the nearest hospital. As it turned out, the corridors were filled with patients.

Tony: We need a doctor!

His loud scream heard Dr. Yinsen. Immediately he took the redhead to the operating room to stop the major bleeding. Tony was horrified, and Rhodey further thought Tony was guilty of this whole disaster. They sat in front of the operating room. Outdoors aura again changed.

Tony: Rhodey, she can not die. No ... She can not

His voice trembled, and his heart was beating violently with the experience. Not too optimistic. Power lines were cut, so no one could make contact with the family, and Virgil had to know what was going on with Pepper.

Rhodey: Calm down. It will be fine. She is in good hands

Tony: It's easy to say, to calm down. Why she threw in my direction ?! I should be in her place! I never forgive myself if something will go wrong

Rhodey: Tony, do not blame yourself. It's not your fault. She wanted to save you

Tony: It's suicide!

He's so angry that he felt pain at the implant. He tried to calm down, but at the thought that his beloved might die, he was getting weak. After two hours, the doctor came out. Immediately he stood up as if he got hit by lightning.

Tony: Doctor, what about her?

Dr. Yinsen: It does not look good. She can not breathe independently, and we had to hook up to a respirator. She's trying to fight, so survive, but ...

Tony: But what? What happened?!

Dr. Yinsen: Do not shout, because it will not do anything. The problem is that she has a damaged heart. We're trying to keep her alive, but the chances of survival are slim. It lies on Icu care

Tony turned to face furiously at his friend.

Tony: Well, where is good ?! No! She can not die! She can not!

Rhodey: Tony, what happens?

Boy weakened, but he tried to stay on his feet. Together they came to a designated room. Rhodey perfectly knew the script by heart. There determines whether someone survive or not. Tony entered the room. He saw how she was connected to a different machine, a heart monitor showed a weak pulse.

Tony: Pepper, fight. You must be with us. You can not die. You could not throw and let I suffered for you

With eyes flowed with tears. He held her hand. Suddenly into the room came Yinsen. He asked to leave the room.

Tony: I need to be with her! She... needs me!

Dr. Yinsen: you will do nothing, Tony. We do what we can, but the damage is serious

Tony: How much?

Dr. Yinsen: The heart is not working as it should. It was the same in your case after the accident

Tony: So implant can save her?

Dr. Yinsen: Yes, but we do not have in inventory

Tony: I can give her. I'm sure about this

Dr. Yinsen: I know that you care for her, but you can not be deprived of life

Tony: I love her! She must live!

Dr. Yinsen: I do not deprive you of the implant. I would have accused of murder

Tony: She will live. I'll do whatever it takes to save her

Tony left the room and ran to the bathroom. There, alone cry on. Looking in the mirror, he wondered how to save Pepper. From the pocket, he took out a pocket knife and pulled out a small knife to use it ripped the implant from the chest. He knew it was a suicide, but he loved her more than life. He loved and did not want to lose her. In a few minutes, he got rid of the mechanism. Slowly he began to feel the effects, and on his chest was blood. He managed to get out into the corridor, holding the wall. The image is blurred, but he did not want to give up. Remnants of forces came to the ICU. Rhodey was terrified.

Rhodey: Tony, what have you done ?!

Tony: Give... them ... it

Rhodey: Tony!

He fell unconsciously on the floor. The scream heard the doctor and immediately checked who is causing it and why.

Dr. Yinsen: Rhodey, you let him do that?

Rhodey: I swear I do not! Please, please do something!

Dr. Yinsen: Did he say anything before he fainted?

Rhodey: I have to give this implant

He handed the device, and Dr. Yinsen sees if the boy is still alive. He checked the heartbeat, pulse, and breathing. His expression suggested that they had to prepare for the worst. Although calmed down natural disasters, injured people and victims still were coming. It was the apocalypse.

Rhodey hoped it was a bad dream and nothing is happening. The specialist took the mechanism and implanted Pepper. At once he could get rid of the ventilator when she breathed freely. Roles were reversed. Now that Tony died. Once Pepper slowly woke up, in the next bed was the fight for life. A friend with the permission was with her, and Virgil with Roberta was to show up. Some of the damage has been repaired.

Pepper: Rhodey, where ... Where am I?

Rhodey: Good, you're alive. You were lucky. You are in a hospital

Pepper: What ... happened?

Rhodey: Something had to fall, and you threw yourself to protect... him

Pepper: Tony? Is he here?

Rhodey was speechless. He pointed to the bed beside. Then she noticed something on the chest.

Pepper: What does this thing here?

Rhodey: It saved you

Pepper: Oh no! Tony!

She looked again in that direction. Pale face, his eyes closed.

Pepper: Rhodey if he ...

Rhodey: I do not know. The doctor just tell us

And as if on cue, there was Ho in a bloody apron.

Dr. Yinsen: Hello, Pepper. How are you feeling?

Pepper: Good, but ... what about Tony?

Dr. Yinsen: He is in a coma. From Roberta depends on whether further to keep him alive. It is not known whether regain consciousness

Rhodey: That bad? Is it by getting rid of the implant?

Dr. Yinsen: Yes. Already I contacted your parents. Fortunately, they live. They were far from the center disaster

Pepper: He can not die! He can not! I love him!

Dr. Yinsen: He said the same when he asked me about the implanting of the implant

Pepper started to cry. She could not believe it. She could not understand why he has to die. Suddenly they appeared Virgil with Roberta. The woman went to talk to a doctor in private.

Roberta: Is it true? Tony never wake up?

Dr. Yinsen: Sorry, but it's possible, yes. I have no other implant, and he snatched his own to survive Pepper. I have never met with so much love

Roberta: I promised Howard that I would take care of him

Dr. Yinsen: Relax, Roberta. Nobody blames you. It depends on you if I detach him from the machine or not

Roberta: Let's give him time

Dr. Yinsen: Without the implant, he will not be able to live

Roberta: This is a nightmare. I thought did not will be the other end of the world, That first I did not survive, and now this. What about Pepper?

Dr. Yinsen: She'll be back to health, and the implant is a temporary. Damages to fix. Surprisingly she has the ability to fast recovery. It was as if no was human

Roberta: I hope that Tony will come back to us

In the news, they talked about catastrophic events. Many people were killed. Virgil was sitting at his daughter, and he was glad that she lived, but her friend was not so lucky.

Virgil: How good you live. I was afraid that I would lose you

Pepper: And yet I'm here, but Tony ...

Virgil: It will be good, Pepper

Suddenly Rhodey had to go because the doctor had to do some medical procedures. He sat in the hall and began to think, what to do if Tony never wakes up. What if the whole world is going to need Iron Man, and there will be a hero? What if he lost a brother? These and other questions tried to answer. Roberta continues talking with a doctor.

Roberta: Tony has always been strong. He must cope

Dr. Yinsen: I will not give you false hopes, but soon turn off other organs, like the brain and heart

Roberta: Why does it have to happen ?! Why?!

Dr. Yinsen: I do not know

Suddenly for heart monitor Tony appeared to flatline.

Dr. Yinsen: I knew this would happen

Roberta: Save him!

Pepper: Tony! No! Do not leave me! Please

Rhodey ran into the room. They were terrified, and only Virgil was quiet. The doctor used a defibrillator. He fired once. Nothing. He fired a second time. The same result. He used the adrenaline, which also has not resulted. Pepper could hear only a squeak from the machine and view flatline signaled her that the beloved passed away. She pressed herself to Rhodey. They both cried.

Pepper: Rhodey ... it's not ... be happening

Rhodey: I do not believe. He lost. I do not believe

Roberta: And yet. It happened

Dr. Yinsen: I'm sorry

Pepper: No! No!

The end

 **Oh. I'm cruel because I killed Tony. I know. I know. I'm bad guy :D So what do you think about this one shot?**


End file.
